For one thing, Dum-Dums bring to mind one of the more cherished memories I have of my five years living in Virginia.

With near-martial regularity, my sons and I once a month visited the barber shop to have our heads cropped, keeping things tight (the 5 and 4 for them, the 3 and 2 for me). Rolling back home each of those Sunday mornings, we sucked on our reward: the Dum-Dum of our choosing.

I went in for blue raspberry most times and the boys did, too. They also enjoyed grape, cream soda, and the riskiest selection of all: Mystery.

We did NOT save the wrappers, or record the codes at SaveWrapsDotCom, because the real value was in the choosing and sucking, and because we learned very quick that it would take 600 points to earn the lowliest of reward: Dum-Dums stickers. Lip balm: 2500. Key chains: 3500.

That’s a lot of sucking!

Seeing the death-knell of a treasure connected to my fondest days as a father left me hoping: Maybe it’s just awful April Fools’ joke.